7 Types of BGA (Ball Grid Array) Packages Explained

Key Takeaways: BGA Package Types

● BGA packages enable high I/O density and improved electrical performance for HDI PCBs.

● Different BGA types are optimised for cost, thermal performance, signal integrity, or reliability.

● Selecting the wrong BGA package can lead to reflow defects, thermal failure, or SI/PI issues.

● Proper package selection must align with PCB stackup, reflow profile, and application environment.

The Ball Grid Array (BGA) packages have made a very big impact on the High-Density Interconnect (HDI) design. BGAs do not restrict peripheral pitch and lead co-planarity as traditional lead-frame packages, such as QFP and SOIC, do; instead, they utilise the entire bottom side of the package for I/O routing. The thermal, electrical, and mechanical characteristics of the BGA packages are such that their use enables the high pin counts of the contemporary FPGAs, processors, and memory chips to be well managed.

Thus, it is essential for a designer using JLCPCB PCB assembly services to have a thorough understanding of the thermomechanical properties and assembly physics of BGA packages to optimise Signal Integrity (SI) and Power Integrity (PI).

Macro view of a Ball Grid Array (BGA) package mounted on a high-density interconnect PCB.

Understanding BGA Package

Before we get into the details of different BGA package types, it is very important to have a clear understanding of the basic architecture. The core BGA is made up of five major components: the substrate (organic or ceramic), die attachment area, interconnect structure (wire bonds or flip chip bumps), encapsulation material, and solder ball array. Among them, the substrate is the one that acts as a mechanical carrier and electrical interface at the same time, conducting signals from the die to the peripheral connections.

The following critical parameters define the performance characteristics of BGA:

● Ball Pitch: The distance between the centers of the two solder balls is 1.5mm for the oldest designs, and it goes down to 0.4mm for the extremely fine-pitch types.

● Substrate Materials: BT (bismaleimide triazine) resin is the best choice because of the electrical characteristics, FR-4 is the best option because of the price, while the ceramic substrate has the best thermal conductivity and the same CTE as silicon.

Solder Composition: Traditional eutectic SnPb (63/37 tin-lead) has largely been replaced by lead-free alternatives like SAC305 (96.5% tin, 3% silver, 0.5% copper) and SAC405. These alloys are different in melting temperature and mechanical properties, which are the main factors for JLCPCB PCB assembly reflow processes.

Comprehensive Comparison of BGA Package Types

#Type 1  Plastic BGA (PBGA): The Substrate Physics

● Substrate Composition: PBGA makes use of a substrate made of BT (Bismaleimide Triazine) resin. The choice of BT resin instead of the standard FR-4 is because of its higher Glass Transition Temperature (Tg ≈ 180℃) and lower moisture absorption.

● Thermomechanical Constraints: The primary failure mode in PBGAs is shear strain on the solder joints. This is caused by the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) mismatch between the silicon die (2.6 ppm/℃) and the organic laminate substrate (≈ 13-17ppm/℃).

● Moisture Sensitivity: PBGAs are known to absorb moisture. According to J-STD-020, the usual levels for them are MSL 3 and MSL 4. If the floor life limit is surpassed, they can't be used without baking at 125℃ - this is to prevent "popcorning," which is a very serious delamination issue caused by fast-expanding water vapor during reflow.

Do you need specific PBGA components for your PCBA? Check availability in the JLCPCB Parts Library.

PBGA structure showing wire bonding and BT resin substrate layers.

#Type 2 Ceramic BGA (CBGA): Thermal & CTE Management

In cases where reliability is a must, even in extreme environments (Aerospace, Telecom), the Ceramic Ball Grid Arrays (CBGA) are the preferred option.

● Substrate: Uses a multilayer co-fired ceramic (Al₂O₃) substrate.

● CTE Matching: The ceramic substrate (CTE ≈ 6.7 ppm/℃) is nearly perfectly matched to the Silicon die. This leads to a large reduction of stress at the die-attach interface; however, the stress is then passed on to the PCB-to-package solder joints.

● The "Non-Collapsing" Ball: Unlike PBGAs, CBGAs often utilize high-temperature solder balls (90Pb/10Sn) attached to the package with eutectic solder. During standard SMT reflow (SAC305 profile), the main sphere does not melt; only the eutectic interface reflows, maintaining a consistent standoff height.

#Type 3 Flip-Chip BGA (FCBGA): Optimizing Signal Integrity

For high-performance computing (CPUs, GPUs, ASICs), wire bonds introduce unacceptable inductance. Flip-Chip BGA (FCBGA) replaces wires with C4 (Controlled Collapse Chip Connection) bumps.

● Inductance Reduction: A typical wire bond introduces 2 - 3nH of parasitic inductance. C4 bumps reduce this to <0.2nH, which is essential for high-speed SerDes lanes (>10 Gbps).

● Power Delivery Network (PDN): The vertical pathway provides lower impedance (Z_PDN), which significantly helps reduce voltage droop (Vdroop) during high di/dt switching.

● Underfill Physics: Because the die is rigidly attached to the substrate via bumps, a capillary underfill epoxy is injected between the die and substrate. This material is engineered to redistribute thermomechanical stress and prevent bump cracking (fatigue failure).

Signal path inductance comparison between wire-bond BGA and flip-chip BGA technology.

#Type 4 Tape BGA (TBGA): The Flexible Solution

The technology used in Tape Ball Grid Arrays consists of a flexible polyimide tape substrate with 25 - 75𝜇m thickness and copper circuit layers.

● Thermal Performance: TBGAs are normally constructed in a "cavity-down" configuration, which gives the die backside direct attachment to a heat spreader.

● Application: Ideal for thin-profile mobile devices requiring moderate pin counts and excellent thermal dissipation.

#Type 5 Micro BGA (𝜇BGA) / Chip Scale Package (CSP)

Micro BGAs (μBGA) are a common form of Chip Scale Package (CSP), where the package footprint is no more than 1.2× the silicon die size. These are ubiquitous in smartphones, wearables, and DDR memory.

● Extreme Fine Pitch: The ball pitch is lowered from 0.5mm to 0.3mm, such that there is absolutely no room for wrong placement.

● Solder Paste Physics: For effective aperture release at pitches below 0.4 mm, Type 4 solder paste (20–38 μm particle size) often exhibits poor printability due to aperture clogging, making Type 5 or finer paste necessary.

● Mechanical Reinforcement: The very small solder joints make 𝜇BGAs prone to fracture during drop events. For portable devices, Underfill (capillary or corner bonding) is highly recommended to strengthen the CSP to PCB mechanical bond.

#Type 6 Enhanced BGA (EBGA): Thermal Optimization

The Enhanced Ball Grid Array (EBGA) is the new generation of package type supporting power-intensive applications (5-20 Watts and above).

● Construction: EBGA features a metal heat sink or "slug" (mostly Copper or Aluminum) amalgamated right into the package structure. The chip is then affixed to this heat sink, having a very good thermal flow; thus, the path is very efficient.

● Thermal Resistance: The new design reduces Junction-to-Ambient thermal resistance (θ_JA) significantly compared to the regular PBGA.

● PCB Design Note: When using EBGA parts, engineers must design the PCB with a clustered arrangement of Thermal Vias under the component to transfer heat from the slug to the inner ground planes.

Enhanced BGA structure with integrated heat sink for thermal management.

#Type 7 Metal BGA (MBGA): Robust Thermal Management

The Metal Ball Grid Array (MBGA) utilizes a metal substrate (typically anodized Aluminum) rather than the standard organic or ceramic substrates found in other types.

● Construction: The silicon die is attached to the metal substrate using a thermally conductive adhesive. A thin-film circuit layer is laminated to the metal to provide electrical routing, connected via wire bonding.

● Thermal Physics: The aluminum core acts as a massive integrated heat sink. This allows MBGA to achieve thermal performance comparable to Ceramic BGA (CBGA) but at a significantly lower cost point.

● Applications: MBGA is the preferred choice for industrial motor controllers, high-power operational amplifiers, and telecom line cards where heat dissipation is the primary design constraint.

Metal BGA (MBGA) package structure showing an aluminum substrate for heat dissipation.

How to Choose the Right BGA Package for High-Speed and High-Reliability PCB Designs

The selection of a suitable BGA package implies the systematic scrutiny of the Electrical, Thermal, Mechanical, and Cost parameters.

● Electrical Performance: Is the application requiring multi-gigahertz signal integrity? In this case, FCBGA is a must due to its very low parasitic inductance. The standard PBGA is adequate for moderate performance.

● Thermal Management: The worst-case power dissipation will be taken to determine the junction temperature:

If passive cooling cannot maintain T_j < 100℃, upgrade to CBGA or EBGA variants.

● Mechanical Reliability: The military/aerospace applications that go through the cycling of thermal conditions (Mil/Aero) demand the perfect combination of CTE of the CBGA. High-vibration situations might benefit from the use of Column Grid Arrays (CGA).

● Cost vs. Complexity: PBGA is the most economical solution. 𝜇BGA and PoP require advanced HDI PCB fabrication (blind/buried vias), significantly increasing board costs.

Conclusion

Choosing between PBGA, CBGA, or FCBGA is a balancing act between Thermal Resistance (θ_JA), Parasitic Inductance, and Cost. However, the design phase is only the beginning.

Reliable implementation requires a manufacturing partner who understands the physics of reflow. With capabilities for 0.35mm pitch assembly, 10-zone reflow profiling, and 100% 3D X-Ray inspection, JLCPCB ensures that your high-density designs perform as simulated.

Ready to prototype? Get an instant quote for your High-Precision BGA PCBs at JLCPCB.

FAQs

Q1: What is the difference between Type VII and Type I vias for BGA fanout?

Type I is a tented via, which is risky for BGA pads, as flux can get trapped. Type VII (IPC-4761) is Plugged and Capped (POFV). For BGAs with pitch <0.5mm, Type VII is mandatory to prevent solder wicking and air voids inside the joint.

Q2: Why does JLCPCB recommend NSMD pads over SMD for most BGA applications?

Non-Solder Mask Defined (NSMD) pads expose the copper sidewalls, allowing the solder to anchor around the pad. This increases the solder joint surface area and improves fatigue resistance against thermal cycling by 15 - 20%. Solder Mask Defined (SMD) pads are typically reserved for ultra-fine pitch (<0.4mm) to prevent pad lifting.

Q3: How do I calculate the required bake time for MSL 3 BGAs?

If the floor life (168 hours at ≤ 30℃/60% RH) is exceeded, the component must be baked. The standard (J-STD-033) typically dictates baking at 125℃ for 24 - 48 hours, depending on package thickness. Failure to bake results in rapid moisture expansion during reflow (245℃), causing package cracking or "popcorning."

Q4: Can JLCPCB assemble "mixed technology" boards with both SnPb and SAC305 components?

Yes, but it presents metallurgical challenges. If a Lead-Free BGA (SAC305 balls) is soldered with SnPb paste, the reflow profile must reach 217℃ to collapse the balls fully. If the profile only reaches SnPb peak (205℃), the SAC305 balls won't melt, resulting in a weak mechanical interface (cold solder). We recommend using a full Lead-Free process for consistency.